Saturday, October 31, 2009

Halloween has always been a really great time at our house. My daughter was born on Nov. 1st, so every year we would have a Halloween themed party. It was always so fun. We've had everything from a full out haunted house to a spooky tea party. When she was in Jr. High, I put black plastic on the walls of our three car garage and decorated it to the hilt with spiders, pumpkins and cobwebs. We had a fog machine and a stobe light and her older brother and friend DJ the dance. Everyone came in costume and it was a blast. She is in college now. I do miss those parties. Anyway, a few years ago I posted on the background of Halloween, so I thought I'd repost it today.

"The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead—including ghosts, goblins and witches—returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the Samhain festival, such as making centerpieces out of apples and nuts for Pomona, the Roman goddess of the orchards. The Romans also bobbed for apples and drank cider—traditions which may sound familiar to you. But where does the Christian aspect of the holiday come into play? In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Even or “holy evening.” Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day.

The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognized by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the “communion of saints,” which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that through the communion of saints “a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things” (#1475)."

Thursday, October 29, 2009

In case you haven't noticed, there is troubling brewing in the Republican party. As I have said all along, the tea parties were not just about Obama, the Democrats, and the overreaching and over spending of government. It was also about the Republican party. Many of us who are Republican are fed up with our party as well. We are sick of politicians who claim to be Republican, but spend like a Democrat (Pres. Bush, can you hear me?). We are sick of Republicans who compromise their principles. We are sick of Republicans who are, for all intent and purposes, a Democrat.

Last year when head of then NRSC, our own Sen. John Cornyn backed Arlen Specter for re-election (before he changed parties), Republicans went ballistic. I can't tell you the anger I saw. Of course Specter left Cornyn out hanging to dry, so that's what he gets for his trouble. But it's much more than Specter. It's about the people of the Republican party up against the establishment of the Republican party. It's a battle that the leaders of the GOP do not want to talk about. But it's there, it's brewing, and it's about to boil over.

Republicans who voted for TARP and the Stimulus bill only added fuel to the fire. Enough is enough. It was time to fight back.

This is what I was talking about in my post earlier this week on "NY-23" regarding the harbinger of change for the Republican party. The special election in District 23in New York has a three-way race, but Republicans are more interested in the race between Republican party backed Dede Scozzafava and Conservative party Doug Hoffman than they are the Democrat. This is people v. Party, make no mistake about it. Newt Gingrich came out for Scozzafav and has been excoriated for it. Sarah Palin, Dick Armey, Steve Forbs. and Gov.Tim Pawlenty are backing Hoffman. Newt says it's all about local control. Yeah.....you see Newt, we have a big problem with "local control" of the GOP as well. The old GOP needs to get on board or get out of the way. Did you wonder why the latest poll shows conservatives as the largest ideological group in the country at 40% (liberals are at 21%), yet only 20% identify themselves as Republican? This is why.

This situation is also brewing in our Governor's race. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is endorsing Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in her bid to unseat incumbent Gov. Rick Perry. Sarah Palin has endorsed Gov. Rick Perry.

Now, a lot of people might say that Rick Perry is old school GOP as well, but I think Perry wisely saw the writing on the wall, and did things we liked. He rejected the strings attached federal stimulus funds. This was big and it was important to us. Then the icing on that cake was when he argued the 10th Amendment for state rights, and that he might resist the federal health mandate should Obamacaresucceed. He rightly claimed that a government run healthcare system is financially unstable and that states must find solutions to their problems. Then in April, Perry announced his support for a non-binding resolution in the Texas House that says the federal government has overstepped the authority granted to it by the Constitution.

That roar you hear in the background is millions of people shouting, "It's about time!!!"

So Perry kind of won his street cred with the tea party protesters there.

Cheny vs. Palin. Could it be more delicious?

Politically it's just fascinating now. The liberals are starting to get very upset with their Mr. Wonderful, Obama, who is not living up to anyone's expectations, and then there is this internal battle in the Republican party that has only just begun.

If Republicans think they can slide into 2010 on the back of an unhappy out of work populace disappointed with Democrats, they better think again. Republicans used to say that "any Republican would be better than a Democrat." We don't say that anymore. Now, we say, "Be the small government, low taxes, property rights, gun right, and pro-life Republican we want, or get off the stage."

The fact is, it couldn't get any worse than it is right now. Maybe a good taste of Democratic leadership is what this country needs to see how sorry that is.

In other words, just because you have a "R" next to your name, doesn't mean we are going to vote for you. Prove yourself. Tell me you believe in the constitution. Tell me you believe in state rights. Tell me you will not spend any more money that we don't have. Tell me you will not allow this government to take over private industry. Tell me you will let business thrive with low taxes, less red tape, and incentives. Tell me you believe in freedom, liberty, and the principles this country was founded upon. Tell me that government was never meant to be our daddy. Tell me that we will teach people not to depend on the government, but to bear responsibility for their own lives.

Tell me all that, and then we will vote for you. Just because the GOP has backed you, does not mean you automatically get my support anymore.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) on Tuesday threatened that he may work with Republicans to torpedo healthcare reform unless he gets a vote to strip abortion-related provisions out of the House bill.

Stupak wants a floor vote on a measure that would prohibit taxpayer funds from being used for abortions. And in an interview on C-SPAN on Tuesday, he suggested if Democratic leaders don’t give him the vote, he’ll work with Republicans.

It gets better:

According to Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), an ardent opponent of abortion rights, Stupak is confident in the support he has within the Democratic Caucus. Stupak said he has about 40 Democrats who will vote no on healthcare reform unless Democratic leaders change their bill on the abortion language.

Sometimes I see a glimmer of hope for the Democratic party. This is one of them. Start being the party of life, the one who stands up for the most vulnerable in our society, and then I will have respect for you again.

There are many issues that I disagree with with the Republican party. Believe it or not, I would LOVE to be able to consider voting for a Democrat. I would love for all people to respect the value of human life so we could concentrate on other issues.

It's pretty simple. Without the right to life, all other rights are moot.

Whether a politician understands this is fundamental to me. A leader, to me, must respect the value of human life. I can tell you right now, with all I know about Stupak, I would vote for him, if I were in Michigan, over a pro choice Republican any day.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Sarah Palin was paid $1.25 million for her book "Going Rogue," as "a retainer." It's likely she will be make more money when it's all said and done. "Going Rogue" catapulted to No. 1 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com after HarperCollins announced in late September it had moved up the release date of 1.5 million copies from spring to Nov. 17.

Palin will appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" the day before the release of her book, which is currently listed at No. 6 on Amazon.com and No. 11 on Barnes & Noble.com.

Laugh at the liberals and media who tried to destroy you all the way to the bank sister.

Like almost all political pundits (liberal and conservative), I just didn't get the strategy behind the White House going after Fox News. If it was to isolate them, or make people think twice about watching it, it has failed miserably:

Nielsen: Fox News ratings up almost 10% since WH declared war

It’s a nine-percent bump in the two weeks since Anita Dunn’s whine heard ’round the world — in terms of overall audience. Among the coveted 25-54 demographic? A 14-percent bump.............

Red Eye,” at 3 a.m., is beating Campbell Brown at 8 p.m. on CNN in the demo. (Worse, perhaps: Anderson Cooper is getting beat by … re-runs of Nancy Grace.)

I heard someone on TV with this theory. They think the White House did this to distract the news organizations from other issues that the White House is losing on right now. Health care, the war, and the economy. It could be, but bringing more Americans in as viewers of Fox News, that will report the stories on the White House, seems rather stupid to me. As wrong as this White House is on the issues, I never thought they were stupid.

Maybe I was wrong there.

This is not related (except for maybe the stupid part), but it is necessary to point out. Remember when White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel went on a Sunday talk show and said that Obama is having such a hard time with Afghanistan because they had to start from scratch? And then Cheney said in a speech that they were indeed briefed and handed over all the findings of the Bush administration. Cheney says that their strategy in January was remarkably similar to the one the Bush administration left to them.

District 23 in New York is having a special election for their House seat. Its a three-way race which surprisingly includes a strong third party challenge from Doug Hoffman from the Conservative party.

The GOP is backing the "Republican" candidate Dede Scozzafava. I put the word Republican in quotes because she is hardly Republican. She isn't even a RINO. She is more like a Democrat wearing a Republican mask.

Sarah Palin has used her political might to back Hoffman. Newt Gingrich has backed the establishment with Scozzafava. So basically it's the old good ole boy network against the new face of the party. One that doesn't put up with RINOS or Democrats masquerading as one.

Why is this little race important? Because it will be a harbinger of change. It hopefully will wake up the Republican party to the fact that these tea parties weren't just against the over reaching government of the Obama administration, but also against Republicans that don't hold true to our values and principles. Be a true Republican or get off the stage.

I hope that Scozzafava is shown off the stage. She is hardly different from the Democrat she opposes. She is pro-abortion, pro gay marriage, she approved of the President's stimulus plan, and she is supported by Big Labor and Big Education. Even the founder of Daily Kos endorse her for God's sake.

Hoffman is not a career politician. He is a CPA that came from a poor background and made a success of his life. He is the epitome of what the tea parties were about. He is tired of Washington stifling businesses and people with taxes.

People like Newt say that splitting our votes will only give the victory to the Democrat, Bill Owens. Maybe. But maybe the Republican establishment will realize if they don't back real conservatives, they LOSE. We just aren't going to take it anymore. If that means we lose a few races to prove our point, then fine. We may lose the battles, but we will sure as hell will win this war within our own party.

Watch this race closely. If Hoffman wins it will be fantastic for the Republican party. If Scozzafave loses, I hope the GOP will understand finally that we aren't following their misguided lead. Maybe they will think twice about races like the one for the U.S. Senate next year from Florida, and let Marco Rubio have a chance to beat wish washy Florida governor Charlie Crist in the primary.

NY-23!!! Let's make it happen for conservatives!! Give to Hoffman HERE.

As many of you know I have a troll that has stalked me (and other conservative bloggers) for many years. She was the "manny" that was so absurdly wrong regarding my post about the other networks defending Fox News recently. Here is the comment she left at at my Chron blog:

Kathleen you have fallen yet again. Manny is me -- Michelle -- your supposed "stalker" but I am just trying to keep you honest. I love that you quoted me. Mission accomplished! In the meantime you publish my tripe while the surge in Iraq is failing. Where is you cheer for the troops? Like it helped at all. Laughable is all I can say.

Folks, remember when I said the troll comments make me laugh? This one really did. Imagine how sad one's life must be when your greatest delight is that you used a sockpuppet name to comment on the blogger that you stalk (yes, for 4 yrs she stalks me. It's pathetic). Oh wow. She really got me right? Heh. At least she admits it's "tripe." Iraq is failing? Uh, no. That would be Afhganistan. Our President "dithers" while our boys die. 16 civilians today. Over 50 soldiers dead and over a 1000 Afghan civilians. But that's ok, Obama needs a few more weeks to decide what to do.

For anyone who like to see what my troll looks like and how she uses our taxpayer money to use computers that you and I pay for to leave troll comments everywhere, go HERE (another blogger she stalked) and scroll down comments to comment 41 for her picture and comment 47 on how she uses our taxpayer money. You might want to use her work information to let her boss know. I would suggest calling since I think she runs the website and your e-mails might not get through. Feel free to e-mail the President of the school though.

This is what she does for fun. It's a sad life, isn't it? Michelle, you don't have to sockpuppet anymore. You use your real name and I will publish your comments along with your info of course.-TexasSparkle

The more things change…: Bloomberg's Al Hunt writes a column that has been waiting to be written: All of the promise of changing the way Washington does business hasn't been turned into a reality yet by the president. One just has to look at his fundraising schedule to see that the political realities continue to creep in. While unrelated, today's Washington Post story about Dem Rep. Pete Visclosky's use of earmarks to raise money is a reminder how just how the culture hasn't changed all that much, even as the party in control did change. Just asking, but if the president had vetoed an appropriations bill that contained earmarks (which he could have done this past spring), would he be looking like more of a change agent, making it harder for the Al Hunts of the world to note how the president has spent more time promising change than delivering on it? Speaking of vetoes, anyone else surprised he hasn't found something to veto? Talk about a way to show some Washington independence at a time when the rest of the country has had it up to HERE with Washington.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

A short Sitrep: District 23 in New York is having a special election for their House seat. Its a three-way race which surprisingly includes a strong third party challenge from Doug Hoffman from the Conservative party. Recent events have shed light on and damaged the Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava. Including calling the police on a Weekly Standard journalist. Honestly, what a wimp.

Many prominant Republicans have endorsed Scozzafava, including Newt Gingrich. Gingrich's strongest argument is that we can't let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good. While I understand and agree with the concept, I don't think Scozzafava is the Good at all, therefore his premise is wrong. She says she opposes Cap and Trade and ObamaCare. Well and good. While she has signed a no new taxes pledge, I think its questionable given her later statements. She also favored the Stimulus and is endorsed by labor unions, the NEA, abortion groups like Planned Parenthood and of all people Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos. Huh.

(For the record, I am not anti-abortion, but imo Planned Parenthood is a radical leftist ideological group as much if not more than an abortion group.)

His other strong argument is that she was chosen by the local Republican establishment, as opposed to the national one. Fair enough. But that doesn't mean Gingrich is obligated to endorse her just because she has an (R) behind her name. IMO, Scozzafava in office as a Republican would be worse than having democrat of any political leaning.

Doug Hoffaman isn't perfect by any means. In his NY Post article he talks entirely too much about himself and he refers to the "9 trillian dollar deficit", I think he means 9 trillian dollar DEBT. Oops. Dude, have someone proofread. But Hoffman is the Good. He is endorsed by Sarah Palin, Dick Armey and Santorum, the Club for Growth and much of the Conservative base.

Its this kind of thing that proves Palin is a genuine rogue - dare I say genuine Maverick? - willing to buck her own party on principle. As opposed to a community organizer who votes Present most of the time or an old Mcfart who picks whatever position will give him the most notoriety.

Were I in District 23 and I had only the choice between the Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens, I would vote for the Democrat. Running Scozzafava is the very establishment Republican behavior which lost the 2006 and 2008 elections as well as leading to a relatively weak showing in 2004. Scozzafava is the type of candidate or elected official who would actively damage Republicans. Ours is a center-right nation, and moving center-left in hopes of capturing a minority of votes while alienating the majority is a losing strategy.

One of my commenters made me aware of Rush Limbaugh falling for a hoax regarding Obama's college thesis. I hadn't heard about it because, believe it or not, conservatives don't listen to Rush all the time. But I found it interesting because I was watching CNN this morning and Howard Kurtz (who happens to be one of the few journalist I respect on CNN) was exasperated with another hoax.

Remember back during the presidential campaign when MSNBC reported that that someone "inside the McCain campaign" had leaked that Sarah Palin didn't know that Africa was a continent? Well, the "insider" was Martin Eisenstadt, a person who actually doesn't exist. That's right. The leaks that were smearing Palin was a joke, a hoax.

Sure, anyone can fall for a hoax. But as people delight in the fact that Rush fell for one, they might want to think about the fact that Rush is just a talk show host, and David Shuster is supposedly a journalist reporting the hard news. When a journalist is quoting a non existent person it means that they didn't bother to check out the person at all. It's called Journalism 101.

This is why people don't trust the media.

Update: Ryan tells me that Rush didn't fall for the hoax but used it as an example of how they misquoted him. That sounds more like it. But since I didn't hear it, I can't judge.

Three women the left love to bash more than any that came before, are Sarah Palin, Liz Cheney, and Michelle Bachmann. Why? Because they are strong smart conservative women who embrace their roles as mothers and activists for conservative causes. There is simply nothing the left hates more. Which is why the attacks on Sarah Palin were unprecedented and the ones coming at Liz Cheney and Michelle Bachmann are starting to catch up to the smears Palin had to endure.

I cannot tell you how much I admire these women. They talk the talk AND they walk the walk. I didn't think I could admire Michelle Bachmann (a Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota's 6th Congressional District) more than I do now, But then I didn't know this about her:

"She and Marcus, a clinical psychologist, were raising their children -- they had four then; they have five now -- and, as foster parents, were raising some other people's children, 23 of them, a few teenagers at a time."

This is walking the walk folks.

Like me, she turned away from liberalism. I voted for Jimmy Carter, She and her husband danced at Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Both of us were changed by Ronald Reagan.

Sarah Palin is making an impact in politics and in political races through facebook. Truly amazing. Liz Cheney is making sure we are aware of what the White House is doing and not doing that is making us less safe. She has begun a new group called "Keep America Safe."

These political firebrands do this all while having five children each (and many more with foster kids in Bachmann's case). I may not agree on every single issue, but I know we share the same values, vision, and hope for America. Whenever I start to feel down from all that is happening politically in our country, I think of these women and what they fight for, and it makes me proud and happy once again.

whatever happens, It gives me great hope to know that these women are fighting the good fight.

Welcome to Rightwingsparkle! The Pro-life movement brought me back into politics. Now I am a conservative activist. Mother Teresa once said: "Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person." Person to person. Me to you. Together we can change the world.